Chapter 10 – She Took Him with Her
Disclaimer – not mine.
The bed was empty, the clock said 4:13 am and the house smelled like cookies. Kate staggered out of bed, grabbing a robe from the closetand wandered out of her room following the scent of chocolate.
Castle was moving efficiently about her kitchen. Kate quietly curled up on the couch, hidden by the darkness of the room, to watch as Castle pulled the milk from the fridge, sniffed it for freshness and then took a swig directly out of the carton. He opened several cabinets until he found the glasses. Poured two glasses of milk and placed them on the silver tray, the only entertaining tray she owned.
The timer went off. Castle rescued the cookies from the oven, sliding them off the cookie dish and carefully arranging them next to the waiting glasses of milk. Of course he had to lick his fingers after touching each cookie. On the last cookie he did a little eye roll of satisfaction over his baking.
Castle was lucky he looked so damn cute cooking in boxers or Kate would have scolded him for licking her cookies.
She stifled a giggle as he strolled right by her in route to the bedroom, "Looking for me, Rick?"
A surprised Castle jolted upright, glasses could be heard teeter tottering as he growled, "Woman are you trying to ruin my picnic?"
Kate scurried to her feet, snatched a cookie and ran past him into the bedroom, leaping back into bed as Castle crossed the threshold.
Castle wore a fake scowl, "Spying on me, were you?"
Kate smiled brightly, "It was highly entertaining."
"Hmm."
Flirting with her eyes, Kate purred "More entertaining when I thought you were cooking naked, until you rounded the counter and ruined the fantasy."
Dropping the tray on to the night stand, shedding his boxers Castle crawled cat like back into the bed, pinning her against the headboard. "Fantasizing about me, where you Detective Beckett?"
Squirming from his hold to grab another cookie, waving it in front of his nose, "The fantasy was all about this."
Pushing out a long slow breath of air, "I am going to allow you to eat your cookies, drink your milk and then my dear Detective, then that gossamer robe of yours, as alluring as it is – it will be removed."
Her breath quickened, her palms grew sweaty. There was something so damn attractive about take charge Castle, it made her light headed. Stammering a bit, "Eating is overrated."
The alarm sounded entirely too early, Kate attempted to swat at it several times, failing miserably as she realized she was tapping Castle on the head. He had crowded into her side of the bed. Taking a minute to regain her bearings, Kate slid out of bed to get ready for work.
Emerging from the shower, Kate tiptoed into the bedroom. Castle was as she left him, face planted into a pillow, her pillow, and snoring softly. Maybe it wasn't really a snore, just peaceful little puffs of air signifying a deep sleep. Kate ran her fingers through the soft hairs on the back of his neck, how many times had she wanted to do that? Countless.
Backing silently away, Kate left her man sleeping. He was her man wasn't he? Really he had been that for years, someone who put up with her shit, had her back and came back for more. The thought of 'one of done' flitted through her consciousness, until she shook her head and chased the thought away.
Castle woke up alone and not alone; the bed was empty of Kate, in her place was a set of keys and a pale yellow envelope with curvy red writing, with one word – his name. He had never seen his name 'Rick' in her hand before. It really didn't matter what was inside, the keys to her place where more than enough. They were on their way home.
Showered and dressed, Castle slipped the note in his back pocket. He stripped the bed and wandered about the apartment, carrying the bedding and hoping that Kate had a washer and dryer. In a New York apartment they were a luxury. Bingo – the mysterious looking pantry door in the corner of the kitchen held a stackable washer and dryer, tiny but useable. He would have to do two loads.
Starting the first load, Castle poured a cup of the waiting coffee, not before reading the tiny pink post-it 'Careful double octane, needed an extra kick today – xoxoK'
Castle made a mental note to run home and pick up the coffee to go mug he bought her on Valentine's Day but wasn't confident enough to give to her. He had a closet full of this and that he had picked up since he said 'I love you.' Things that reminded him of her, days he wanted to share with her, all things he wanted to give her.
Wandering to the couch with his cup of coffee; stopping first at the front hall closet to retrieve his phone from his coat pocket. Castle made a minor detour to her desk, on the off chance there was anything interesting sitting on top for easy viewing.
He continued to weave his way to the couch after plucking a photo album off the shelf. Everyone needed reading material to accompany their coffee right? Taking a seat on the couch, he placed his coffee on the side table, along with the album. Removing the card from his back pocket, Castle carefully slit open the envelope, making sure to keep in pristine condition. Holding the card in his hand he ran his fingers over the lettering, three little words. Words that once they were released into the universe the world tilted on a brand new axis - .u
The teeniest of arrows was placed in the lower right corner, indicating to flip the card. The back read, 'Poke around as I know you will, lock up and bring me my keys. Only have one set.' – me
Castle was guilt free as he opened the album sitting in his lap, after all she said had given him her blessing. Perhaps not her blessing, but clearly Kate was resigned to the idea that he was curious by nature.
The inside page had 'Katie' neatly written in sharp black pen. Each page held a solitary photo with the year penned in bold black lettering.
Year two in the life of Kate was a keeper, a grinning giggling chubby belly toddler standing in her mother's shoes, with her hand on her hip and a tease in her eyes. Castle smiled to himself, Kate had been Kate since the beginning, expressive eyes and a love of high heels.
The tribute to daredevil Kate came in year six, sitting on a bike while wearing roller skates and a bright pink Barbie bike helmet. Castle was going to save that little nugget of information for a rainy day. His Kate rarely wore pink and her helmet was black.
Castle studied each picture, watching Kate grow before his eyes, celebrating holidays and birthdays with her family.
High school graduation was a beautiful picture of Kate, as tall as she is now, dressed in her cap and gown flanked by her parents, mom and dad beaming with pride, three identical smiles stared back at him - big, bright and bold.
Identical smiles adorned the next page, the Beckett Family was dressed in matching red oversized Stanford hoodies, standing in front of the Stanford Memorial Church.
Castle's heart surged and clenched repeatedly at the next page. In place of a picture a neatly cut piece of black construction paper the size of a picture was neatly centered on the page. The year was written in white, the handwriting had changed – it was Kate's. It was the year Kate's mother died. Looking closer at the sheet before him, Castle noticed the paper had faint stains on it – perhaps the remnants of tears.
Castle quickly flipped to the next page. His heart sunk further into his body, Kate and her dad stood flanking her mom's headstone. The light in her eyes was replaced by a dull haunting. Jim looked weathered and aged.
Shutting his eyes tightly, Castle was rethinking his idea of looking at the album. He began quickly thumbing through the pages; there was no joy in seeing pictures of a wounded Kate where her smile never touched her eyes.
Castle slowed as he approached last year, his breathing grew shallow as he processed the sight of Kate, her cheeks sunken and pale, curled up on an outdoor wicker lounge, clutching a book. A quilt was casually draped over her legs, her eyes were closed. The open oversized button down shirt that she was wearing swallowed Kate's frail body, but failed to conceal the stark white bandage around her chest.
Castle brought the album to the tip of his nose; he wanted to absorb every detail. The etched wooden plaque mounted on the wall behind her read 'Beckett Family Hideaway', the windows reflected a grove of maple trees, the front door was a bit worn with use, and the book in Kate's arms was his. The book in her arms was his!
Clutching the album to his chest, the remaining hurt created by Kate's silence drained from Castle's body. Kate had taken him with her the only way she knew how.